


Burnout

by FrozenHearts



Category: Black Panther (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, First Meetings, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Ayo/Natasha, Implied Relationships, Mentioned Doctor Strange, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-16 05:16:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16079207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: "And what was she doing up there all this time?" Okoye asked with a determined look in her eye. T'challa grinned; it was exactly the same thing she'd said about Wanda when Thanos had originally invaded."Maybe," T'challa said teasingly, "she was watching over you."





	Burnout

It was odd, being back after sitting inside the Soul Stone for so long, T'Challa thought. Everywhere he looked, the beautiful forest that had once been his home was burnt to the ground. The green of the grass was yellowed and muddied with carnage and the air still had the lingering taste of ash and soot and sweat. While most of the bodies had been cleared of the fields and buried accordingly, T'Challa found a stray blanket or bracelet, something linking them to the battle. The Avengers, for all the trouble they'd caused since the Sokovia Accords, had been a massive help- making sure children were reunited with their families, helping rebuild the villages and parts of the cities and driving away any nosy reporters and media outlets when needed.

Now was the time for Wakanda to heal. Now was the time for Wakanda to take a step back and reform before re-opening and integrating with society.

As he walked the grounds, T'Challa could see Steve Rogers with Director Fury, arguing heatedly but he was unable to hear what they were saying. Fury's face looked pinched, his one eye furious as he prodded Steve's chest with an accusing finger. The Captain politely let Fury speak, silent until the man allowed otherwise. Patience is the one thing Steve Rogers has in abundance, and patience is what most of the relief effort needs. Thor's rag-tag gang of space aliens seemed to need it the most; especially the strangely modified raccoon who was always trying to steal Shuri's tech.

His attention went back to the Captain and the Director. Steve was speaking now, quite heatedly in fact as passerby turned to give them odd glances as they passed. Squaring his shoulders, T'Challa kept walking. He could speak with the Captain and the Director another time.

\------

The Guardians of the Galaxy, while nice people, were a bit of a handful.

It took T'Challa a minute to realize that while Groot was a sentient being, he would in no way be able to speak English, or Xosa and the group's translations left much to be  desired. Next to the fact that it saw Rocket Raccoon- a genetically modified, bio-engineered not raccoon, thank you very much- was the supposed father of said talking tree made T'Challa want to take a nap. They were helping wash any alien and human blood from the windows of the castle, all of them floating with what looked like faulty interconnected jet-packs and doing a group rendition of "Come and Get Your Love."

It would have been nice if they didn't try telling Groot to get off some sort of gaming system every too seconds.

"Can we help you, your Majesty?" peter Quill's voice caught T'Challa's attention and he blinked, watching as the man tucked his orange earbuds away.

"Ah, Mr. Quill," T'Challa nodded.

"Actually, it's Star Lord-" Peter began, only to be cut off by his green friend's barking laugh. T'Challa eyed the red tattoos warily; they looked very much like something the Dora Milaje might have done in ceremony long ago, but in practice it was lost. The colors seemed to crack against his skin, digging grooves that looked deep enough to hit bone. Peter glared before turning back to the king, "Can we help you with anything? Any sacred kingly duties-"

A snicker from the large green man again made Peter turn around and throw his wash rag. It landed with a wet plop in the green woman's face, making the other man laugh even harder.

"Shit! Gamora, I'm sorry!" Peter was quick to take the rag from her, although the look on her face was anything but empathetic.

"It's fine, Peter," she sighed, "I'll come back and finish after cleaning up."

As the green woman flew down to the balcony, T'Challa offered her a small smile. She returned the favor, scrubbing her hand down her nose and flicking red tinged soap on him as she passed. He followed, footsteps falling in time with hers as they walked. Her steps were sharp and determined, her heels striking the floor angrily.

"May I help you your Majesty?" Gamora stopped short, raising an eyebrow at him.

T'Challa hummed. He didn't have much of a chance to speak with the Guardians, but from what Thor and Tony told him, Peter Quill was their leader. Half human, half celestial being, Peter Quill was the most powerful person he'd come across so far in his battles as Black Panther. The ability to destroy entire planets and bend the very fabric of reality and time to his will, create and destroy whenever he so wished; the thought terrified T'Challa, if he was being honest.

"Does Mr. Quill ever scare you, Gamora?" T'Challa surprised himself as the words flowed out of his mouth.

"Nothing scares me, your Highness, I'm an assassin," was Gamora's reply.

T'Challa nodded, pursing his lips as he inspected her. Her green skin was flecked with scars new and old, the leather of her clothes worn from battle and time. Dark hair was tangled, her knuckles bruised and palms scratched. Through and through, she looked every part the warrior she claimed to be. So how was it that she didn't find any of this terrifying? He may not know much about space, but T'Challa could shiver just from the thought of Peter's abilities.

"If you are scared, you needn't worry," Gamora gave him a soft smile, "Peter.... he's a good person. Heroic, even. Just like Kevin Bacon."

"Is that so?" T'Challa cracked a smile.

Gamora nodded eagerly, "I know you have every right not to trust us- me especially, but I didn't want any of this to happen. I just... I was scared i was going to lose Peter, I guess."

T'Challa was silent, nodding in encourgaement for her to continue. The woman averted her gaze, taking in the high walls of the corridor and the marbled tile floor. Dora Milaje were stationed in the alcoves, a few giving small nods and bowing in greeting. The look on Gamora's face told T'Challa she was uncomfortable, even as she schooled her features to near blankness.

"Thanos... I guess he cared," Gamora said, "In his own twisted way, but I didn't want the world to end."

"What makes you say that?" T'Challa cocked his head, crossing his arms.

"He said he was doing it- the whole erasing the universe thing- because he loved me," Gamora was quiet, her lip trembling, "I knew it wasn't true. He took me and my sister from our homes, he made us fight each other. I just wanted a family but instead I died and Nebula was tortured and turned into a cyborg."

Gamora was trying hard not to cry. Tears dotted the corners of her eyes, glassy and un-shed but Gamora was unwavering as she told him about her sister. A woman who just wanted a sister but got a machine gun for a left hand instead. A woman who wanted a sister but was scalped for losing a tournament. A woman who wanted a sister but was picked apart and torn to pieces only to be stitched back together into an ugly husk of who she was before.

"You are not responsible for what your father did," T'Challa spoke softly, "You are not your father, you are first and foremost yourself."

A sharp intake of breath, and T'Challa suddenly found himself hugging the alien woman, feeling her tears stain the shoulder of his robes. A few Dora Milaje looked ready to strike, angry at this stranger for hugging the king and crying so nonchalantly but T'Challa's glare sent them back to their stations.

Family was hard and Gamora needed some time. T'Challa knew this better than anyone.

\-----

T'Challa met her at James Barnes' insistence, he and a few of the village children tugging him along to enter one of the tents by the river. Bucky's hair was down, shiny and clean and his metal arm was missing; most likely in his bedroll after a few of the children had expressed being scared to touch or look at it. AS T'Challa watched Bucky interact with the kids, however, he saw the man was much happier without but knew when he had to use it. 

"Fury said she was in a war like Steve and I," Bucky explained as they came to a stop by the river bank. At first, he wasn't sure what Bucky wanted him to see, surrounded by Dora Milaje. Okoye lead the warriors, standing at the ready with her spear and shield. The sun glinted off her scalp, making the black tattoos look even darker.

Bucky nudged T'Challa's shoulder, jutting his chin towards the sky, "She's up there. Say hi?"

T'Challa knew his jaw must have been on the floor when he looked up, squinting at the sun as rays dashed behind the newcomer, her golden hair forming a halo of light. She wore a suit of red, blue and yellow and power seemed to radiate from every pore of her being- T'Challa heard Okoye mutter a soft "ah, shit" under her breath as the woman hovered down to the ground.

"Your Majesty," the woman said pleasantly, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Bucky has told me about what happened and I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help."

T'Challa exchanged a glance with Okoye, who's eyes were bugging out of her sockets. Jokingly, he waved a hand in her unblinking face, "General? Are you alright?"

"Her eyes..." Okoye managed, "What is happening to your eyes?"

"Do they bother you?" the woman asked, stumbling as she made contact with the ground. Her eyes were omnipotent balls of flame, her irises forming stars and stardust licked at her cheekbones, the flames brushing her temples as she cocked her head. T'Challa had to turn his head away lest he burn his corneas, still seeing red behind his eyelids.

This woman... she was a walking eclipse. A human supernova gracing earth and blessing it with life anew.

When the light died down in his peripheral vision, he turned back around to find the woman smiling nervously, eyes wide and wandering, as if she was lost or confused. Where her eyes had been glowing they were now brown, deep like the river and as rich as the soil he stood upon. Bucky was the one who moved first, ushering the woman forward. Her legs were jerky, her smile turning into a slight frown.

"Your Highness, General," Bucky addressed them both, "This is Carol Danvers, Captain of the US Airforce back in the eighties."

\-----

For the next week, T'Challa could see Captain Carol Danvers hovering around Wakanda. On Tuesday, he saw her flying around with the Guardians, playing catch with Rocket and Groot. She'd race Thor around the perimeter of the kingdom- her ability of flight against the God of Thunder's Stormbreaker. Wednesdays he saw her wandering the gardens, chasing the children in a game of hide and seek or tag. Thursday, Shuri regaled him with tales of how Carol used her Binary Power to help charge her equipment in the lab during an unexpected power outage.

"She collapsed after trying to power the entire castle, though," Shuri sighed, "Apparently the monorails were too much for her."

"Is she alright, sister?" T'Challa asked, crossing his arms as he watched his sister fiddle with her kimoyo beads.

"She is resting in medical as of an hour ago," Shuri grinned, "the General is stationed at her door should any aliens come to snatch her."

Nodding to his sister, T'Challa left the lab, his strides long and purposeful as he made his way to the infirmary. A few Dora Milaje gave short bows, and he could see the Black Widow darting between the pillars, playfully tapping each woman on the shoulder as she went. For a minute, he thought Ayo would snap, but the warrior grinned and ducked her head to hide what could only be described as a blush on her cheeks.

Inside the infirmary, T'Challa was surprised at how empty it was. Beds lined the wall, each with the sheets tucked into neat hospital corners. The fixtures on the walls buzzed and flickered with color- blue, red and orange shadows danced on the walls, almost in time with his steps as he moved.

Okoye stood to the far wall to T'Challa's left, standing almost worringly over one of the beds. As he neared her, the king could see how her shoulders hunched, protective and on the defense. Her grip on her spear was startling, her knuckles white as she twisted her fingers around it. She was still dressed in her armor, the light glinting off the gold of her chain-mail.

"Ah, General," T'Challa knocked on the wall, "Shuri said you would be here."

Okoye nodded stiffly, lips turned into a frown as she glared down at the woman lying in the bed next to her, "The Princess stationed me here should something happen."

"And she did not think to inform a doctor? Strange is most likely a portal away should we alert him to the situation."

The look on Okoye's face told T'Challa his sister had done otherwise. Or that she had done it on purpose. Most likely both, considering the coy smile Shuri had when speaking with him earlier. Not to mention, Doctor Strange hadn't stepped foot in Wakanda since, citing a need to be at the Sanctum Sanctorum for the better part of the next year. T'Challa knew Okoye would most likely love to be anywhere else but here, but royal word was law. The machinery Carol was hooked up to beeped loudly in the empty room, her vitals displayed with a green line on the screen.

"And what did my sister think would happen?" T'Challa asked.

Okoye shrugged, "Something about aliens, something else about needing a strong woman to sweep her off her feet. Silly teenager things."

T'Challa hummed.

Of course, that was Shuri's excuse.

\-----

Not less than a week later, a barrage of carnaged aliens came back. Once more, was T'Challa made to take up the mantle of Black Panther, once more was he made to defend his home. They had rebuilt everything, only to lose it once again.

Currently, he fought alongside Okoye, slashing and kicking his way through aliens as she sliced and diced and stabbed whatever she could, throwing in an electric shock for emphasis. Blue lightning crackled from her spear and T'Challa could feel the ground burning between his toes through the suit. Everywhere he looked, he saw dirt flying and cries echoing into the open air- the snarls of alien beasts no comfort as he turned to his general-

-only to see her on teh ground, one of the alien animals slowly crawling towards her. Teeth bared, saliva dripped from its mouth as its tongue lolled from its jaw, and T'Challa saw teh tell-tale swish of a tail before it went to pounce.

Before it had a chance to jump on her, the animal was suddenly blasted with a beam of light and T'Challa thought he could hear a desparate "NO!" ring out from the clouds. Shielding his eyes, he looked away, chest heaving as he felt the waves of heat push against his body.

When he turned back to look, he saw Carol Danvers, eyes glowing and face contorted with anger as she bent over Okoye, her light almost too much to bear.

\-----

Okoye woke up after a week of being in the infirmary. For the most part, she was unharmed; a bump on her head was the only sign she'd been injured in the fight but T'Challa watched Carol take vigil by her bed every night. Every night she sat there and every morning she left. eventually, she stopped coming and Okoye woke up, asking what had happened.

So T'Challa explained.

"And what was she doing up there all this time?" Okoye asked with a determined look in her eye. T'Challa grinned; it was exactly the same thing she'd said about Wanda when Thanos had originally invaded.  
  
"Maybe," T'challa said teasingly, "she was watching over you."

Okoye blusterd her way through an excuse, T'Challa not actually listening to what it was. He knew she was glaring at his back as he went, allowing himself a small grin when he caught Carol sneaking back through the door from the corner of his eye.


End file.
